Are You a Cultural Creative?

What Do You Value?

Cultural Creatives is a term coined by sociologist Paul H. Ray and psychologist Sherry Ruth Anderson to describe a large segment in Western society that has developed beyond the standard paradigm of Modernists versus Conservatives. The concept was presented in their book The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the World (2000), where they claim to have found that 50 million adult Americans (slightly over 1/4 of the adult population) can now be identified as belonging to this group. They estimated there were probably about 80-90 million Cultural Creatives in the European Union as well in 2000.

Members of the Cultural Creative subculture are also known as theLOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) market segment. Worldwatch Institute reported that the LOHAS market segment in the year 2006 was estimated at $300 billion, approximately 30% of the U.S. consumer market;and, a study by the Natural Marketing Institute showed that in 2007, 40 million Americans were included within the LOHAS demographic.

Are You A Cultural Creative?

{ This quiz is borrowed entirely from The Cultural Creatives book and website. }

You are likely to be a Cultural Creative if you…

1. …love Nature and are deeply concerned about its destruction

2. …are strongly aware of the problems of the whole planet (global warming, destruction of rainforests, overpopulation, lack of ecological sustainability,exploitation of people in poorer countries) and want to see more action on them, such as limiting economic growth

3. …would pay more taxes or pay more for consumer goods if you could know the money would go to clean up the environment and to stop global warming

4. …place a great deal of importance on developing and maintaining your relationships

5. …place a lot of value on helping other people and bringing out their unique gifts

6. …do volunteering for one or more good causes

7. …care intensely about both psychological and spiritual development

8. …see spirituality or religion as important in your life, but are concerned about the role of the Religious Right in politics

9. …want more equality for women at work, and more women leaders in business and politics

10. …are concerned about violence and abuse of women and children around the world

11. …want our politics and government spending to put more emphasis on children’s education and well-being, on rebuilding our neighborhoods and communities, and on creating an ecologically sustainable future

12. …are unhappy with both the Left and the Right in politics, and want a to find a new way that is not in the mushy middle

13. …tend to be somewhat optimistic about our future, and distrust the cynical and pessimistic view that is given by the media

14. …want to be involved in creating a new and better way of life in your country

15. …are concerned about what the big corporations are doing in the name of making more profits: downsizing, creating environmental problems, and exploiting poorer countries

16. …have your finances and spending under control, and are not concerned about overspending

17. …dislike all the emphasis in modern culture on success and “making it,” on getting and spending, on wealth and luxury goods

18. …like people and places that are exotic and foreign, and like experiencing and learning about other ways of life

Tara – You have inspired me, and I know you're going to inspire many, many more…with these very original (and, yes, innovative) concepts you're introducing: Innerpreneurship, Cultural Creatives, and more. Wonderful job…keep up the great work! I am going to spread the word about what you're doing; I “challenge” others to do the same :)